Primeval
by Omega-Em-Z-01
Summary: The Allspark is back, refugees are returning, and Predacons and Cybertronians are starting to get along. But there's one scientist that might just ruin the whole thing. Takes place right after Predacons Rising.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: The first paragraph is a little recap of what happened in the movie. **

Primeval

Chapter 1

Many cycles ago, Team Prime proved their strength in defending the newly restored Cybertron from the wrath of Unicron, the Chaos-Bringer. And with that, began a new generation of life by returning the Allspark to the planet's core, but at a cost. Optimus, the very last of the Primes, merged the Allspark's energy with the Matrix of Leadership and surrendered his body and spark to Primus, in order for new sparks to blossom. But Team Prime would never forget their beloved leader, and soon, the rest of the planet would know of his sacrifice.

* * *

Bumblebee watched as more refugees made their way through the landing port. He smiled a bit as he saw sparklings jumping up and down in excitement as they stared in awe of the huge buildings. It occurred to him that this was the first time any of them had ever actually seen Cybertron. Born off world, the closest they ever came to learning about their home world was through books and stories. Now, they would begin to experience the world for themselves.

A family walked past Bumblebee. The femme carried a tiny sparkling in her arms. He was bright orange with big blue optics and he held a little toy in his hand. He dropped it and started to cry. Bumblebee walked over and picked it up.

"Here you go, little guy," he said. The sparkling took it and giggled at him.

"Thank you," said his mother. They continued on to the registration center. There, everyone was receiving new living quarters in the reconstructed buildings. Everyday, more and more refugees made their way back to Cybertron. It was becoming a challenge for Bulkhead to keep up with the construction. Speaking of Bulkhead, Bumblebee needed to meet up with him for a report on the newer buildings.

He left the landing port and made his way back to their central base in Kaon. The former Decepticon capital was beginning to develop a more pleasant atmosphere now that the Autobots were in control and the giant statue of Megatron was destroyed.

As Bumblebee drove up, he saw Arcee standing with two other mechs. All three of them were laughing about something one of the mechs had said. Bumblebee drove up to them and transformed.

"Hey, Arcee."

"Bee," she said, "I'd like you to meet some old friends of mine. This is Jazz and Mirage."

He shook hands with the two mechs. He could tell Arcee knew them a long time. For as long as he knew her, Bumblebee had never really seen Arcee laugh. She, Jazz, and Mirage must have been very close.

"Arcee has told us that you've been running quite an operation here," Jazz said, "You're becoming quite the leader."

"Me?" Bumblebee said, "I'm no leader. Just a soldier trying to help these people out."

"Well, you doing a good job," said Mirage. Bumblebee smiled a little, "I'm actually looking for Bulkhead. Have you guys seen him?"

"I think he and Wheeljack are up in the command center," said Arcee.

"Thanks," Bumblebee said. He transformed and drove to the command center. It was nice to see some of his teammates finding some of their old friends. So far though, he hadn't really found anyone he knew. But he didn't worry. It was still early, and many more mechs and femmes would be coming.

Once he came close to the door, Bumblebee transformed and made way through the base by foot. In short time, he made it up to the command center. Sure enough, Bulkhead and Wheeljack were standing at the console, looking over construction plans.

"How is the layout for the new building coming, Bulk?" Bumblebee asked. Bulkhead turned to face him, "I wish I could say quicker. We've run into a bit of a problem."

"What do you mean?"

Bulkhead gestured to the console, "The only free area we have to build this thing is on an unstable cliff. If we tried to lay out any kind of foundation there, it'd cause a landslide. I've tried everything I know, 'Bee, but I just can't figure out how we're gonna fix this."

"There is one thing we could try," Wheeljack added, "I've seen a lot of places the 'Cons were able to pull off with the same problem. If we can copy their old designs, or even find the plans for them, we could get this done in no time."

"Alright," Bumblebee said, "Let's get it done. Where are the plans?"

"That's the other problem," Bulkhead explained, "The only place they could be is also the only place we can't get to. At least not without packin' in some blasters."

Bulkhead must have been joking! Unfortunately, the look on his face said otherwise. Bumblebee rolled his optics, "You've got to be kidding. Do you think you can clear another area in time for construction?"

Bulkhead shook his helm, "It'd take too long. With everyone coming in so fast, we can't afford to waste anymore time."

'Bee nodded, "Alright, I'll talk to Magnus."

* * *

In the medical bay, Ultra Magnus was still recovering from his injuries from fighting the Predacons. His condition had improved significantly since then, but Ratchet still needed to stay on Cybertron and see to it that his recovery went without incident. As Bumblebee walked in the med bay, he saw Ultra Magnus powered down on the berth. Ratchet was busy looking over his medical records.

"Hey, Ratchet," Bumblebee interrupted, "Are you busy?"

The old medic vented, "Not anymore. What is it?"

"Sorry. Is Ultra Magnus almost cleared for duty? We have a problem with the construction."

"It will be a few more cycles before he is, Bumblebee," Ratchet said, "You know this. And he will be far from ready to aid in any construction."

"No, not that kind of duty," Bumblebee explained, "Bulkhead found a flaw in the plans for the newest building. We know there are plans we can use to fix it, but the only remaining files are at Darkmount."

Ratchet looked up from his work, now fully listening. Bumblebee continued, "All we would need is for Ultra Magnus to negotiate with the Predacons to allow us to get in, find the plans, and get out quickly."

Ratchet looked back to Ultra Magnus, then rubbed his optics, "I can't disturb his power down now. When do you need the plans?"

"As soon as possible."

Ratchet thought for a moment, "Bumblebee, I believe this is a matter you can handle. You've shown exceptional leadership skills before, and the Predacons seem more ready to talk with you than they are anyone else."

Bumblebee's optics widened, "Me? I, uh… I don't really think I'm the mech who should be doing this. Ultra Magnus-"

"Ultra Magnus can't risk engaging in another fight with the Predacons. I am not asking you to lead on an army, Bumblebee, merely conduct a negotiation with our… neighbors."

"…I guess a new beginning on our planet means accepting changes and new responsibilities. Alright, Ratchet, I'll talk with Predaking on letting us into their territory."

Ratchet nodded and returned to his work. Bumblebee turned and walked out of the med bay. At the doorway, he turned and said, "It'd sure be nice if Optimus was still here to help us with all of this."

Ratchet stopped for a moment, "Yes, Bumblebee, it would be nice."

* * *

At the fortress at Darkmount, and for twenty-five miles in any direction, only three beings occupied that area. Since the defeat of Unicron, the Predacons returned to Darkmount and claimed it as their territory. They allowed no one to enter, but they did not, however, expand their ground. As an agreement made before they came, the Predacons would be left alone as long as they left the refugees alone. Predaking, Skylynx, and Darksteel all loved the idea. The only downside was that it limited their options for finding Energon.

Predaking watched over Darkmount from the throne. Skylynx and Darksteel were out searching for Energon. With luck, they would be able to find enough for the rotation, hopefully without the two fighting over the scraps. In a sense, Predaking finally had what he wanted. He was the king of his species, and no others would dare try to overthrow him.

In the middle of his thoughts, a communication was received and transmitted to the throne. All Predaking noticed was a flashing button on the armrest. He wasn't completely used to the technology around here, so he pressed it and the transmission came through. An image showing the yellow Autobot appeared before him.

"Your Highness," the Autobot bowed his helm slightly, "If I may have a moment, I wish to discuss some terms with you."

Predaking growled, "What more do we have to discuss? Our agreement is already set in stone. Do you have any idea how long it took me to ensure that my subjects would not hunt refugees for a meal? Any other changes to our contract, and everything that hasn't fallen apart here would!"

"Don't worry," the Autobot said, "I don't want to make changes. I just need a favor. We don't have the proper plans to lay down a foundation for a new building, and the only ones we know of are in the database at Darkmount. It would mean the most to the refugees and us if you allowed my colleagues to come to Darkmount, just long enough for us to get the plans and leave."

Predaking thought for a moment, "How do I know this isn't some sort of plot against me? Against what remains of my race?"

"You have my word, Predaking. We will come unarmed, if it pleases you."

"Hm… Very well, Autobot. I will allow you and two others in, on one condition. You bring us a full load of Energon."

"How much?"

"Enough for a decacycle."

A look of surprise appeared on the Autobot's face. After a brief moment, he nodded, "Alright. We'll come to Darkmount with the Energon at midday tomorrow. You have to make sure the other Predacons won't attack us."

Predaking nodded, "It will be done. Leave the Energon by the entrance of the fortress when you arrive. We will be watching you closely."

"I understand, your Majesty," said the Autobot, "Thank you for your consent."

He bowed his helm again and the transmission ended. Predaking leaned back. He didn't really like the idea of invaders in his territory. Perhaps that was just the basic animal instinct within him, but also, he didn't like any of the Autobots. At least they would get free Energon out of this.

It was quiet for a few minutes, then the sound of shouting came from the lower levels. It got louder and louder, and eventually it turned into roaring and screeching. Predaking growled in frustration. Skylynx and Darksteel were, yet again, behaving like complete sparklings. And, yet again, he needed to go and break them up.

Predaking stood up, started walking to the edge of the platform, and shouted, "WILL YOU TWO, FOR ONCE, SETTLE THINGS LIKE GROWN-UP MECHS?!"

He transformed into his beast mode and flew down to end the skirmish.

**Guess who's back! For those who keep up with my other stories, I'm sorry that I haven't updated those (in like six months). I've just had a bunch of stuff with school and it's been kinda overwhelming. I actually started writing this a few days after Predacons Rising came out (which I bought that very day). I'm hoping that I'll be able to write some more stuff soon. **

**So I hope you liked this first chapter. I don't know about all y'all, but there were some things in the movie that were a bit unresolved and that **_**really**_** bugged me. So, this is kinda my solution to all of that. Let me know what you think or things you'd maybe like to see. I'm all ears! **


	2. Chapter 2

Primeval

Chapter 2

"So, why exactly did you tell them we would be going unarmed again?"

Bumblebee vented as he, Arcee, and Smokescreen drove toward Darkmount. Smokescreen kept on asking endless questions, and it was starting to get on Bumblebee's nerves.

"Because," he explained, "It was the only way for Predaking to agree on letting us in."

"That and all the Energon," Arcee added. Bumblebee chuckled. They were almost to the edge of the Predacons' territory. Any minute now, Predaking would have eyes on them, if he hadn't already.

"Yeah, well, I don't like it," Smokescreen said, "I might as well paint 'free meal' on the back of my helm."

They finally crossed over into their territory. It was quiet, save the sound of their engines, and eerie. It looked almost as if no one lived here. As they drove on, Bumblebee noticed two dots in the sky. They were moving fast, but not directly towards them.

"Just keep driving," he told Arcee and Smokescreen, "He wants the Energon dropped off at the entrance. From there, we'll make our way to the archives."

"I'm guessing we won't be getting a welcoming committee?" Arcee said.

"I don't know. We'll just have to find out."

They kept driving until they came to the front of the fortress. The two dots were still tailing behind them, watching them closely. They stopped at the entrance and Arcee and Bumblebee transformed. Smokescreen had a trailer hooked behind him carrying the Energon. They unloaded all of it and Smokescreen transformed into his bipedal mode.

"I don't know if it's possible," he mentioned, "But this place actually looks worse than last time."

The entire place was gray, cluttered, and dead silent. The only noticeable sound were the wind blowing through the open chambers and the subtle churning of the smelting pit. If any living thing once dwelled here, they would've abandoned it long ago.

"Where are they?" Arcee said quietly.

"I would guess that the two behind us were Skylynx and Darksteel," Bumblebee said, "But I have no idea where Predaking could be."

They started walking toward the archives. It was so quiet that their footsteps echoed through the halls. Smokescreen looked around nervously, "You sure you can't call them, 'Bee? How do we know they won't pounce on us?"

Bumblebee looked back at him, "If you keep talking about how freaked out you are, then they might."

Smokescreen nodded, but kept looking around for them. They walked for about ten more minutes until they reached the archives. Bumblebee and Arcee went to the monitor to find the plans while Smokescreen kept watch.

"Aha, found it," Arcee said. She plugged in a transfer drive and started the download. While it uploaded, Bumblebee asked, "So 'Cee, any more of your friends come yet?"

She shook her helm, "No, just Jazz and Mirage. It's almost too much company for me. What about you? Seen any old friends?"

"Not yet. But I'm sure some will show up soon."

Arcee nodded, "What about you, Smokescreen?"

He looked over, "Huh? Oh yeah, a few came in last rotation. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They're twins. I first met them at the Elite Guard. You thought I acted childish before, just wait until you meet these guys."

There was a sound of something falling down the hall and Smokescreen jumped in surprise.

"Don't worry, scaredy-cat," Arcee said, "We're finished."

She pulled out the transfer drive and they turned to leave. When they got back to the entrance, the entire pile of Energon was gone.

"Looks like they helped themselves to that," Smokescreen said. Bumblebee turned back to the corridor.

"If you are listening, Predaking," he called out, "Thank you again."

There was no response. Bumblebee shrugged, "Let's head back to Kaon."

For a moment, he could have sworn to Primus he heard other voices echoing through the halls. They weren't the voices of the Predacons, he had already grown too used to those, and they sounded familiar. But as unexpectedly as they came, they also left.

Starscream had been lying in a miserable heap in the dungeons in Darkmount for days. His severe injuries left him defenseless against the Predacons, though he decided never to attempt to tussle with them again, if there were ever a chance to. Much of his Energon had leaked onto the ground and he was becoming weaker and weaker with every passing rotation. This past day he could feel his optics flickering from the last of Energon. In all his past experiences with beatings from Megatron, those never came close to the savage onslaught from the Predacons.

He had finally found a comfortable position with his back against the wall and his legs stretched out. His wings were nearly torn to shreds and he had deep gashes on his torso and arms. They had gone for his faceplate several times, attempting to claw his optics out. After many hours of endless torment, they dumped him in here, and he hadn't seen them since. Starscream almost wondered if they had forgotten about him, or if they had simply left him in here to die. Really, that sounded synonymous when he thought about it.

Pain shot through his wings again when he tried to reposition himself. He growled. He was almost tempted to end this himself, rather than be at the mercy of the Predacons once more. He had tried to do it several times before, but he could not bring himself to do it.

"Perhaps it is better for me to simply starve," he thought, "Whatever end comes for me, let it come. I no longer think that I deserve to live."

Starscream closed his optics and rested his head against the wall. He was just about to power down, then he heard footsteps quietly making their way through the dungeons. He froze in fear. They steadily grew louder, and he could feel the ground shake slightly. His spark pounded with fear. They were coming back for him!

Starscream shrieked when the cell door opened and he saw Darksteel's beast form. He tried to squeeze himself in a corner. Darksteel lunged at him and grabbed his pede with his maw.

"No, no! Leave me alone!" Starscream clawed at the floor as he was dragged away. Darksteel pulled him from the dungeons up to the throne room, where Skylynx and Predaking were waiting patiently. He tossed Starscream in front of Predaking, and then went off to the side. Starscream looked up helplessly at Predaking, who simply smirked.

"Are you enjoying your stay here?" he said, "Unless you want to spend your remaining hours on this planet in anguish, you will tell me what I want to know."

Starscream laughed nervously, "I-uh would be obliged to offer whatever it is you want… Your Royal Highness."

As if he struck some nerve, Predaking rose from the throne, walked over to Starscream, and held him up by the throat. Starscream gasped; he could feel the Energon circulation to his neural processor diminishing, at least what was left of it.

"You worked closely with Shockwave for solar cycles. Where would he be at this time?"

"I-I thought he perished!"

"No. Shockwave lives."

"Then he-he would be in one of his laboratories."

"You speak falsely. Skylynx and Darksteel have searched the laboratories and there was no sign of him!"

"He had more! Far more than the ones they saw! They're all across Cybertron!"

"Where?!" Predaking roared.

"I don't know! I don't know! He never revealed their locations until we had to relocate!"

"Lies!" Predaking threw Starscream to the ground. Part of Starscream's wing actually broke off as he did. Starscream cried out in pain and gripped his tattered wing. Predaking kicked Starscream in the chest and he flew back. He looked up pleadingly.

"I swear, I swear I don't know. If I knew, then I'd tell you. But I don't! Please, spare me! I beg of you!"

Predaking's yellow optics narrowed at Starscream's crumpled form. He knew the Decepticon was a rat, but he was telling the truth, for once. Without another word, he turned his back and returned to the throne. With the motion of his hand, Skylynx and Darksteel transformed into their bipedal forms and went over to Starscream, pulling him up to his pedes.

"I believe you, Starscream," he said, "As an extension of my gratitude, I will end your suffering. Send him into the smelting pit!"

Using Earth time, it took probably about an hour to travel from Kaon to Darkmount, and another hour to travel back. Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen were about ten minutes away from returning to Kaon. From where they were, they could already see the central building of the capital.

"So, what happens now that we've got the plans?" Smokescreen asked.

"We get them to Bulkhead to he can finish up the newest building," Bumblebee answered, "Hopefully quickly."

"Certainly hope we won't have to go back to that jungle," Arcee added. Bumblebee and Smokescreen laughed, but were interrupted by a transmission.

"'Bee," it was Bulkhead, "You guys almost back?"

"Yeah, we have the blueprints."

"That's great and all, but we have a bigger problem over here."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently the Predacons broken the truce. They attacked one of the residence buildings."

"That's impossible," Arcee said, "We saw them at Darkmount. They were watching us."

"I'm only reporting what I've heard. Just get here quick."

Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen sped up, arriving at Kaon in eight minutes instead of ten. Outside the central building, angry mechs and femmes surrounded the entrance, shouting and protesting against the Predacons.

"Animals!" "Traitors!" "Down with the Predacons!" "Kill them! Kill them all!"

They had to push their way through to get inside. After they got through the angry mob, they made their way to the command center, where they found Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and a now fully awake Ultra Magnus examining the monitor.

"Blueprints, Bulk," Bumblebee said as he handed them to him, "What's going on?"

"We received footage of two Predacons attacking Residence 11A about a half hour ago," Ultra Magnus said, "Two casualties, several more injured. They completely destroyed the right wing of the building."

The monitor showed video footage of the attack. Smoke and fire emitted from the building, and debris was scattered everywhere and falling from the structure. But through all the wreckage and smoke, two dragon-like forms could be seen, though they were extremely vague. They shot fire at everything they saw move. After a while, they gave up and flew from the scene.

"Whoa," Wheeljack said, "They really know how to do some damage."

"But why would they break the treaty?" Smokescreen said, "We just brought them an aft-load of Energon."

"Could it have actually been them?" Arcee asked.

"How could it not?" Wheeljack said.

"They would've had to be far ahead of us in order to attack. And we saw them at Darkmount. Even if it was them, they would've taken the same route to get back, and we didn't see them on the way back here."

"They may be dumb," Bulkhead mentioned, "But not dumb enough to take a route where they would be seen."

"We must assume the worst," Ultra Magnus said, "That the Predacons have broken the agreement, and are responsible for civilian deaths."

"Could we at least try and find some more evidence?" Bumblebee asked, "I don't want to go around accusing someone if they didn't do it. Guilty until proven innocent."

Ultra Magnus thought for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, Bumblebee. You will lead the investigation and find out what is going on."

"You can count on us, sir," Bumblebee said. He, Arcee, and Smokescreen turned to leave. Just before they left the room, Ultra Magnus said, "And I suggest you find results quickly. If this gets out of hand, we could have a lot more problems than just Predacons."

**I think I'm speaking for a lot of people when I say this, but you can't just kill off a character like Starscream as it was implied in the movie. There's not really an explanation for it, you just can't. **

**So my plan to have the next chapter out sooner… kinda failed. So sorry about that. But it came, so that's gotta count for something, right? I'm not really sure when I'll have the next chapter out. End of the year and everything, it starts to get a little crazy. But school's ending and my birthday's in a week and I'M SO EXCITED! Maybe with summer comes an aft-load of inspiration (along with time :) Leave a review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Primeval

Chapter 3

"Noooo!"

The heat from the smelting pit was so intense that Starscream felt as though he had already been thrown in. His optics widened when he saw the glow coming from the smoldering metal. When they reached the edge of the platform, Skylynx and Darksteel shoved him to the edge. Starscream wobbled and held his arms out to keep his balance. He tilted again and started leaning toward the edge. Before he could fall, he felt a clawed hand grip the base of his good wing, keeping him from falling in. His form was rigid as he stared down at the molten metal.

"Anything to say before you go for a swim?" he heard Skylynx say. Starscream stuttered, "I-I could still b-be of some service to you!" Oh, Primus, please! Give me one more chance!"

Darksteel let out a raspy laugh, "Predaking already asked you where Shockwave was and you didn't know. It's funny when he tries to beg."

"It is rather amusing," Skylynx said. He whipped Starscream around, gripped him by the helm, and held him over the platform.

"Wait!" Starscream yelled before he dropped him in. Skylynx eyed him suspiciously. Starscream tried to speak calmly, "I could… I could track Shockwave down for you. I know why you want him. You want him to create more Predacons, right? You-you remember the one at the old lab, correct? It would be fully grown by now, I promise! Give me the chance, and I will find him."

Skylynx narrowed his optics, "You'd sooner get as far away as possible from here than help us."

"Can't we just eat him, Skylynx?" Darksteel begged.

"If it were my decision, Darksteel, he would be served on a silver platter. But as faithful servants, we must obey our king's orders."

Without another word, Skylynx released his grip and allowed Starscream to fall. As the seeker plummeted towards his doom, he watched the two Predacons turn tail and disappear. They were not interested to watch him die.

Starscream shrieked as he fell closer and closer to the molten metal. Without really thinking, he transformed into his jet mode. Just before he could get melted into scrap metal, his engines ignited and he was able to fly to and land at the edge of the pit. Crashing is a more proper word than landing. His damaged wing took a hard hit to the ground, and his underbelly burned from the friction.

"Ah, scrap!" he groaned. He transformed back into his bipedal mode and stopped a moment to regain himself. It was good to know that he still possessed transformation capabilities, albeit agonizing at best. He looked up at the platform's edge. Skylynx and Darksteel weren't there. They hadn't seen him escape. Starscream chuckled.

"The mindless brutes," he said to himself. His bad wing twitched and he winced from the pain. He couldn't imagine why the Predacons would come back here, but if he stayed, they would find him and things would be much worse than before.

Starscream looked out on the Predacons' territory. He had no idea how far it stretched out, but he could probably make it at least to the borders of Kaon. Grinding his denta, he stood up, transformed back into a jet, and flew off into the wind.

"Shockwave," he thought to himself, "You will have much explaining to do when I find you."

* * *

The medical institution was almost completely filled with patients from the fire. Many had severe metal burns, while others were injured from shrapnel and heavy boulders that had fallen. It was enough to keep both Knock Out and Ratchet busy.

"Look, we've got a lot here that we need to manage," Knock Out told Bumblebee, "I don't have room or time for you to play Sherlock Holmes."

"C'mon, Knock Out," Bumblebee said, "They're the only ones who could've actually gotten a look at the Predacons. At least let us talk to someone who made it out alright."

"When I find one, I'll let you know," Knock Out turned his back and went back into the med bay. Bumblebee groaned and followed him. He caught up and grabbed Knock Out by the shoulder. Knock Out whipped around and smacked his servo away.

"Careful!" he snapped, "Do you know how hard it is to get Carnubil wax these days?"

"Just a few nanocycles with one or two people. That's all I'm asking. Knock Out, those Predacons are still out there, and we won't be able to find them soon enough if you don't let us investigate."

Knock Out thought for a moment, then vented, "Fine, fine. I'll find someone who's willing to talk with you. Come back in, let's say, a breem."

"Thanks, Knock Out," Bumblebee said. Knock Out shrugged, and then walked away to care for the patients.

* * *

"It's like they came out of nowhere. They just smashed through the wall and the next thing you know, they're spittin' fire everywhere. I wasn't as close to the wall as some others. Everyone was afraid that it was 'Cons, but once they actually stepped into the building, we could tell that no 'Cons were behind this."

Bumblebee and Arcee listened carefully to the old bot's story. His servo had nearly been sliced off in the attack, but he was as spry as ever and remembered every detail.

"So, you recall what the Predacons looked like?" Arcee asked him. The old bot nodded, "You bet. If I still had my cannons, I woulda aimed right into each of their ugly yellow optics."

"Do you recognize any of these three?" Bumblebee handed him a data pad with diagrams of Predaking, Skylynx, and Darksteel in their beast forms. The old bot took it and looked at it carefully.

"Unless you play mix 'n' match, it was none of these guys."

Bumblebee frowned, "Are you sure?"

"My optics haven't malfunctioned yet," the old bot snapped. He pointed at Predaking's beast mode, "Size wise, the big one was almost his length and built, but his wings were smaller like the other two. Black and red all over. The little one wasn't even close. She was about half the big one's length."

"She?" Arcee asked.

"Yup, if I had to guess. She was small, but quick. She may have had a small frame, but her wingspan was huge. About the same as this Predaking's. Had more of a light brown and blue design."

Bumblebee took the data pad from the old bot, "Thank you for your help, mister…?"

"Kup," said the old bot, "Call me Kup. You find those glitches and make sure they pay for what they've done."

"Will do, Kup," Bumblebee and Arcee left the med bay. On their way out, Arcee said, "We should start looking at the damage. Try and look for… I don't know."

"Paw prints?" Bumblebee suggested. Arcee smiled, Maybe. The hard part is gonna be what to do after that."

"Let's see what we can find first. Smokescreen is already over there talking to Inferno. Hopefully, he's found something."

"Was it just me, or did Kup seem like a mech would complain about stuff you missed if you tried to repair him?"

Bumblebee chuckled, "Yeah, he did have that kind of attitude."

* * *

When they arrived at the demolished building, laborers were already moving out some of the large chucks of stone and metal. The place looked like a warzone. Scorch marks covered the walls and the floor and bits of metal were scattered everywhere, some still smoldering a bit. Bumblebee and Arcee drove up to Smokescreen and a red Autobot he was talking to. They transformed and Bumblebee said, "Inferno, good to see you."

"Likewise, Bumblebee."

"Ol' Red told me that they couldn't find anything on the Predacons," Smokescreen said, "If we didn't have the video or witnesses, he says this could've just been a regular, bad fire."

"Well, there may not be evidence of their whereabouts," Inferno said, "But the damage they left does show a bit of their intelligence. Before they flew out, it looks like they tried burning up the floor. It erased all of their tracks, and most other indication that they were ever here. My guess is that they wanted it to look like a freak accident. They probably didn't know there was a camera in the corner."

"Hard to believe a tiny camera survived all this," Arcee commented. Inferno nodded, "It is. Your friend is right, 'Bee. Other than what I've told you, I've just got nothing else to offer."

Bumblebee nodded, "That's fine. Keep us updated if you find anything new."

"Make sure those beasts get slagged," Inferno said. He went back to work and Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen talked privately.

"So, was it them?" Smokescreen asked. Arcee shook her helm, "Witnesses couldn't match them with what they saw."

Smokescreen slumped his shoulders, "Oh, great. More Predacons. So, what's the game plan?"

"We'll have to talk it over with Magnus," Bumblebee said, "But it's probably be best to send out scout patrols to different quadrants on Cybertron. It's a start, at least."

"I can round up some buddies. Now that everybody's back, we'll have more of a fighting chance against them."

"I think we need to be careful about who we choose," Arcee said, "If someone gets the bright idea to go and confront Predaking, we could be dealing with another kind of war."

* * *

The Energon the Autobots had brought was rich and filling, much better than the scraps they were forced to scavenge for before. As he examined his cube, Predaking wondered how they were able to find so much of it, when they found so little. It might have had something to do with the territory limit.

Predaking was curled up in his beast mode in the throne room. His Energon cube was sitting right next to his nose, but he hadn't yet begun to consume it. He thought it unfair that the Autobots had access to all of this Energon. They were probably just better at finding it than they were. Regardless, the Energon the yellow Autobot brought them would not last forever. If they were going to survive as an independent species, then they needed to start collecting their own supply.

He snatched the cube in his maw and gobbled it down. It tasted delicious. He was just about to curl up for a nap when Skylynx and Darksteel came flying in from the sky. As soon as they landed, Skylynx transformed into his bipedal mode.

"My apologies," he bowed, "But there is a group of intruders on our borders. They make their way into our land as we speak."

Predaking's optics narrowed. He stood up and went over to the platform of the room. Even from this great distance, he could easily see four or five Cybertronians marching toward Darkmount. A growl rumbled in his throat.

Skylynx stepped beside him, "What is your command?"

Predaking transformed into his bipedal mode, "We shall see what it is they want. I want to know why they dare come here."

"And what if they attack?"

"… Then let them know the wrath of the Predacon race. But leave them alive."

The three of them transformed into their beast modes and flew toward the intruders. As a warning, Predaking let out a deafening roar. It did little to affect the intruders' attention. When they came closer, one of the intruders shouted, "Now! Open fire!"

The intruders fired their blasters at the Predacons. They dodged the blaster bolts in the air and landed on the ground charging. The intruders kept firing their blasters. Predaking spewed fire at them, causing them to scatter from their group. One of them was caught in the fire, and he lay on the ground in agony from his partially melted leg. Darksteel and Skylynx transformed into their robot modes and each attacked two intruders. Predaking faced the last one, who seemed to be the leader. He was red with orange flame designs all over. It seemed to match his mood well, because he transformed his servo into a sword and charged at Predaking with a yell.

Predaking whipped his tail at the young bot. He jumped over it and slashed his sword at Predaking's faceplate. It grinded against the metal and Predaking growled in fury. He swiped his claws and knocked the young bot off to the side. The bot groaned and tried to stand up. Predaking transformed into his robot mode and looked back at Skylynx and Darksteel. They had already subdued the other intruders. He turned and went over to the flame-covered bot. When he saw Predaking approaching, he tried to scramble up to his pedes.

"Get away from me!" he shouted. Predaking ignored him and lifted him up by the base of the neck.

"Hey!" The young bot kicked and tried to pry away Predaking's servo. Predaking stared at him hatefully in the optics, "Who do you think you are to attack me in my own land?!"

The young bot groaned, "I think I'm one who finally has the courage to stand up to you mindless monsters!"

"Mindless?" Predaking exclaimed, "Mindless?! You know not whom you quarrel with! I am the King of the Beasts, Ruler of the Predacons, and Lord of the Ancient World! I am Predaking!"

**And of course someone goes and ruins the whole thing for everyone! **

**Thank you to those who have followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. Your love is much appreciated. I'm getting pretty excited with this story myself. The first half of this I kinda wrote during school, so that's helped my inspiration a lot. I know I've had some people who have asked about my other stories and whatnot. But I have to say, my inspiration for A Change of Spark is kaput and Heart of a Warrior is near kaput. This story's pretty kaput-less, so there's some happiness there. Leave a review and push back the kaput-ocity! **


	4. Chapter 4

Primeval

Chapter 4

In the halls of the Kaon command center, it was mostly quiet, save a few who were making their way out of the building. The one exception was a young Autobot running as fast as he could to the central command. He was venting hard as he tried to find it. He slowed down for a moment and stopped a nearby passerby.

"Excuse me…" he gasped, "Where do I find… central command?"

The passerby pointed in the direction where it was and the Autobot took off. When he finally made it, he heard voices talking.

"Very well, soldier. We shall begin assigning scouting units with those already at our disposal. And for that, we must strengthen the security around the city."

"Thank you, sir."

The Autobot waited for a moment, and then stepped into the room. Immediately, he recognized the Autobots Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. He knocked on the side of the doorframe, "Excuse me?"

They turned and saw him. He immediately stood at attention, "Sir."

"At ease, soldier," Ultra Magnus sais, "What news do you bring?"

The Autobot relaxed, "Sir… I believe… I believe that some of my friends have gone after the Predacons."

The entire room fell silent. Bumblebee stepped toward him, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, sir, ever since they attacked that home building, my friends were talking about going over and teaching them a lesson. I never thought they would actually go and do it. The last time I saw them was a few cycles ago. I was looking for them and starting to get worried. When I asked some others where they were, they told me that they went driving off somewhere, and hadn't yet returned. I assumed the worse, and came running here."

"What is your designation?"

"Bluestreak, sir."

"And you saw them when exactly?"

"Two cycles ago."

Bumblebee turned to Arcee, "Two cycles. We were at the medical bay at that time, right?"

Arcee nodded, "Kid, we need you to tell us everything you know. Your friends could be in real danger."

"Yeah, sure," Bluestreak said, "I tried to get them to scrap the idea. I kept telling them it was crazy. But they wouldn't listen to me. Are they gonna get in trouble?"

"That all amounts to what they're planning to do."

"If these Autobots took it upon themselves to engage the Predacons," Ultra Magnus said, "Then we must locate them immediately. There is no telling what damage they may have already caused."

"But, the Predacons attacked us first. Wouldn't it be more justified to send in backup for them?" Bluestreak asked.

Bumblebee Arcee, Ultra Magnus, and Bulkhead all looked at each other.

"Should we tell him?" asked Bulkhead. Ultra Magnus turned to Bluestreak, "The Predacons residing at Darkmount were not responsible for the attack."

Bluestreak's optics widened, "What? But… they attacked civilians. It was clear to everyone that it was the Predacons."

"Indeed it was Predacons, but we believe that new ones have emerged somehow, ones who are not aligned with Predaking."

"Oh, Primus. You have to find them, sir. They're gonna get themselves killed!"

"Take it easy, kid," Bulkhead reassured, "We'll find them."

Bluestreak nodded. At that moment, a transmission came through on the monitor.

"Bulk," it was Wheeljack, "I suggest you send shoulder pads and the others down to the courtyard, pronto."

"What is it?" Bulkhead asked.

"Predaking," said Wheeljack, "And it looks like he's brought us a welcoming present."

Everyone looked over at Bluestreak. His spark started to sink, "Oh, no."

* * *

In the courtyard, Wheeljack watched through a pair of binoculars as the three Predacons, Predaking leading in front, descended from the skies. He heard the other drive up behind him and transform. Each Predacon carried two crumpled Cybertronian forms in their claws. Before they landed, they dropped all six on the ground. They then backed up a few feet and landed on the ground. The six groaned and struggled to their pedes. Predaking transformed into his robot mode enraged.

"What is the meaning of this, Autobots?!" Predaking shouted, "We followed the pact you proposed, kept to our borders, and allowed you passage into our land for information! And this is how you repay us? By sending assassins to exterminate us?!"

Bluestreak went over to help his friends, but Skylynx and Darksteel shrieked at him. He jumped back in surprise.

"Predaking," said Ultra Magnus, "You must understand, these were their own actions. We did not instruct them to attack you."

"If what you are saying is the truth, then why did they attack us?"

"I believe it will be best if we discuss this inside."

Predaking growled and looked to Skylynx and Darksteel, then turned back to Ultra Magnus.

"Very well, Autobot. There had better be a justified explanation for this."

Predaking walked with Ultra Magnus into the capitol building. Darksteel and Skylynx trailed right behind them. Whilst they ventured inside, everyone else helped the six injured Autobots up. Bluestreak went right over to a young red bot with orange flames. As he helped him up, he said, "You glitch-heads, all of you. I told you that you shouldn't have gone."

The young bot looked at him, "What choice did we have, Bluestreak? It was us or them."

"Get them to the med bay," Bumblebee said, "Then I believe we need to have a talk."

* * *

After they treated his injuries, which weren't as serious as the others, they brought the young bot down to the detention center. He remained quiet most of the time, except to talk to his teammates to make sure they were okay. After a couple of cycles, they had him brought down to an interrogation room.

"I don't like this," Bumblebee said, "He's just a kid. He's younger than me, and we're treating him like a criminal."

"In a sense, he is," Bulkhead said.

"Bulkhead's right," Arcee said, "He was the first to violate the treaty and consciously led an attack against the Predacons. But you're right. It' doesn't seem right to treat him like that."

Bumblebee looked at the security footage of the young bot in the interrogation room. He looked alone and small. He vented, "Let's get this over with."

They went into the room. The young bot looked up and shifted in his seat. He was nervous, and everyone could easily tell. Arcee sat down in front of him and looked at him straight in the optics. The young bot look down at the table.

"You got in quite a bit of scrap today, didn't you?" said Arcee.

"Yes, ma'am," said the young bot.

"What's your name?"

"Hot Rod, ma'am."

"More like Hot Head, based on what I've seen. Are you aware of the kind of trouble you've caused? Not just for us, but for every Cybertronian that is presently here?"

Hot Rod looked up, "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. It's just… we can't let the Predacons do that to anyone again! If we don't show them we mean business, then they're gonna keep attacking us and grow stronger and stronger! They're gonna over run us someday, when we least expect it because we put our trust into them."

"We're only talking about three Predacons."

"You saw what two of them did! Yes, we attacked them, but they attacked first! If you're gonna blame someone, blame me, not my friends. It was my idea, and they just came along."

"I do blame you," Arcee said flatly, "I think you're driven by your blind ambition and stupidity to do what you think is right before talking to others. I think you sometimes have trouble controlling your anger, and that motivates your patriotism and will to fight for your race. You don't have the capacity to think. All you know how to do is act. And I think it's a miracle that Predaking didn't chew you up and spit you out, as he should have."

Arcee nodded, "It's a wonder why your name isn't Hot Head."

Hot Rod frowned and looked down again. Bumblebee intervened, "How long ago did you plan this?"

"Uh, a little after the attack."

"Did you see the footage beforehand?"

"…No. One of my friends was in that building. He told me what happened."

"So, you carried this out without any other source of information?"

Hot Rod nodded. Bumblebee vented, "We want to help you out, Hot Rod, but you're making it harder on our part."

"I'm sorry, I am. How much trouble am I in, exactly?"

"I'd say… a lot," said Bulkhead, "We'll go through it with Ultra Magnus, but disrupting the peace is kinda a big deal."

"Disrupting the peace?" Hot Rod's brow rose, "What do you mean? I didn't attack first, they did!"

"We haven't told a lot of people this, except your friend, Bluestreak," Arcee said, "But we think that the Predacons that attacked us were not under Predaking's command. Meaning, that the treaty wasn't broken until you attacked Darkmount."

Hot Rod's jaw dropped. He sat back in his chair, completely stunned.

"Holy Primus," he whispered, "Geez, I didn't- if I had known- oh, Primus. I am so sorry. I'm… I'm so stupid!"

"There's nothing your can do about it now, kid," Bumblebee told him, "We'll handle it from here."

Arcee stood up and they started to leave. Hot Rod stood up, "Wait, what happens now? With the Predacons? With me?"

Bumblebee turned to him, "Sit tight. You're gonna have to stay here for a while, but you'll want to. Most who ignite Predaking's anger get the bitter end of the deal."

Hot Rod's optics widened as they left the interrogation room.

* * *

"What is it that you are saying?" Predaking asked Ultra Magnus.

"So to be clear," Ultra Magnus said, "You and the other Predacons were at Darkmount during the attack?"

"We were attending to a… personal agenda during the time you spoke of. So, yes. We were at Darkmount."

"Then it is possible that the attackers were other Predacons, possibly more of Shockwave's creations."

"Other Predacons," Predaking mused. The thought of more of his species lifted his spark. He had to find them, bring them under his rule so that they could live their lives the best way Predacons could. He looked over at Skylynx and Darksteel. They were wide-eyed with excitement. He remembered that feeling when he heard that he was no longer the only Predacon. He turned back to Ultra Magnus, "What else do you know about them?"

"No one has spotted them since the attack, so we don't have much to offer."

"Then what do you have to offer?" Skylynx snapped. Predaking held out his servo in front of him, and Skylynx fell silent.

"You must tell us everything you know about these Predacons," Predaking said, "It is my duty to find stray Predacons and bring them under my care. And it is your duty, Autobot, to keep your citizens safe from harm. Given what these Predacons have done, I believe we can find some sort of agreement, don't you think?"

"That was just my thinking," Ultra Magnus said, "But first, you must forget the actions brought on by these Autobots. These are the actions of boys, treat them as such."

Predaking thought for a moment, "Very well. I pardon their actions against me. But know that if they or anyone else crosses my path again in such a way, I will shred them into scrap metal."

Ultra Magnus clenched his denta, "Duly noted. Now, from what we know, there were only two Predacons that attacked. We believe that one might be a femme."

"Femme?" Darksteel chimed in. he started to giggle and Skylynx slapped the back of his helm.

"Yes… a femme," said Ultra Magnus confused, "Witnesses state that the mech was black and red and the femme was brown and blue. There's nothing more we have, except that they seem to like to play with fire a lot. We were planning to send out scouts to find them."

"That is more than enough for us," Predaking said, "If the Autobots should find them before we do, then I take comfort in knowing that you will hand them over into our custody, so that they might be properly trained."

Ultra Magnus nodded, "Agreed. Thank you for listening, Predaking."

Predaking nodded and he turned and left the command center. Darksteel and Skylynx trailed after him, and soon they were gone. Ultra Magnus sat down in front of one of the monitors and vented. It was a little hard to believe that he was doing politics with the mech who deprived him of a servo and tried to kill him far more than once. He smiled to himself. Perhaps this is what progress in a new age looked like.

After mulling on that for a few moments, he contacted Bumblebee, "Bumblebee, begin assigning scouting units and send them out as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir," Bumblebee responded.

"I will begin sending out public notices about what is going on and warn the citizens not to attack the Predacons. With our luck, we'll stop any others from launching their own campaign."

"Yes, sir. Good luck."

* * *

After a few cycles, the scouting units were en route to their designated areas. Smokescreen was paired with Prowl, an Autobot who was one of Arcee's old teammates. He was mostly quiet, so they must have been good friends. They were assigned to scout the demolished city of Tyger Pax. The city was huge and looked like a ghost town as they drove through it. Smokescreen remembered watching old horror movies with Miko back on Earth, and if zombies were about to jump out on them, he was not going to be happy.

"So," he said to Prowl, "When did you get back to Cybertron?"

"Yesterday," said Prowl, "I had to travel all the way from the Vexus star cluster to get here. Long trip."

"I've never been."

"It is a sight to behold, except for all the plasma storms."

"Must be nice to be home then?"

"Yes. I am patient, but the wait has been long indeed."

Smokescreen wasn't quite sure what else to say. If they were going to be in a patrol together, then it would make sense for them to actually get to know each other.

They came up to a cluster of buildings. There was no flat ground for them to drive on, so they transformed into their robot modes. Prowl led the way through all the rubble and chunks of building that had fallen. In the midst of the rubble, Smokescreen saw the old, rusted forms of fallen Autobots and Decepticons, probably never to return to their homes. Prowl led them into a large building with giant holes in the walls. He walked through without a word. Smokescreen followed him with uncertainty.

"What makes you think Predacons might be in here?" he asked.

"It's just a guess," Prowl told him, "But if they were looking for old Predacon bones, which would make sense in order to make more Predacons, this would be the perfect place."

"Why?"

"It's a museum." Prowl pointed to old artifacts that were scattered across the floor.

"Oh," said Smokescreen. They passed through the chambers of the museum until they found the prehistory section. There was broken glass everywhere, but no fossils.

"Three guesses who," Smokescreen said. As they walked further through the building, they heard thumping and clanking coming from the far end of the hall. They approached closer and could hear voices.

"I'm tired of looking for all these bones," grumbled a deep mech's voice, "'Go get this bone. Go get that bone. This is the wrong bone. I've already got that bone.' Every other word I hear from his mouth is bone. Why can't we go and do something else?"

"Because the last time we tried something new," said a rich feminine voice, "You nearly burned me and yourself to a crisp. Don't you remember that?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot."

The femme's voice scoffed, "You are a hopeless scrap-for-brains, Dreadfire. Do you know that?"

"Yes, Terraclaw."

Smokescreen and Prowl followed the voices to the end of the hall. There was a room at the very end with the doors half blown off. As they came closer, the voices kept talking.

"How come you're so smart, Terraclaw?"

"Because I was bred with reason and logic, while all you got was muscle and the sense to embarrass everything Predacon."

Smokescreen's pede caught on a metal pole and he tripped fell flat on the ground. Prowl yanked him up and they ran to either side of the open doors.

"What was that?" said the femme voice.

"Was it scraplets? Please say it's not scraplets!"

"It's not scraplets, glitch-head," the femme whispered, "Someone's listening."

There was silence except for the sound of one of them transforming. Smokescreen and Prowl looked at each other with wide optics. They flattened themselves against the wall as one of them emerged from the room. Smokescreen's spark was pounding madly. The Predacon was gigantic, nearly taking up the size of the hall, and was red and black all over, just like the descriptions they were given. His tail swayed back and forth, but he didn't seem to notice them. He growled and started to sniff the air. Smokescreen and Prowl transformed their servos into blasters and the Predacons whipped around and roared. Soon, the entire room burst into flames.

**Finally, Predacons! Woohoo! **

**Okay, so a round of applause to Fanatic97 who guess correctly who the idiot boy was! When I saw that, I just started laughing so hard! So, the next chapter should be coming out here soon now that I get to use my Preds. I'm excited for that. Until then, review, follow, and favorite! **

**Oh, and Energon cookies for whoever points out the Thor line :) **


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